beautiful people: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal; occasionally journalistic or ironic in tone.
Quick answer
What does “beautiful people” mean?
A fashionable, glamorous, and wealthy social elite.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A fashionable, glamorous, and wealthy social elite.
An exclusive, trend-setting group, often in the entertainment, fashion, or high-society circles, whose lifestyles, appearances, and opinions are widely admired and emulated. It can carry a critical nuance, suggesting superficiality, elitism, and detachment from ordinary life.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is broadly similar, but British usage may more readily associate it with historic aristocracy and the 'Sloane Ranger' set, while American usage strongly links it to Hollywood and coastal urban elites.
Connotations
Often carries ironic or critical connotations in both varieties, hinting at superficiality. Can be used sincerely in fashion/entertainment contexts.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to prominence of celebrity culture.
Grammar
How to Use “beautiful people” in a Sentence
[Verb] + the beautiful people (e.g., attract, mingle with, join)[Preposition] + the beautiful people (e.g., among, for, of)The beautiful people + [Verb] (e.g., gather, vacation, dominate)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “beautiful people” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new Mayfair club is where the beautiful people congregate.
- She desperately wanted to beaufitul-people her way into that world. (Informal/creative use)
American English
- All the beautiful people were vacationing in the Hamptons.
- The product launch was beaufitul-peopled by influencers. (Informal/creative use)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in marketing (e.g., 'brands targeting the beautiful people').
Academic
Very rare; used in sociological/cultural studies within quotation marks.
Everyday
Common in informal conversation, often with a knowing or cynical tone.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “beautiful people”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “beautiful people”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “beautiful people”
- Using it as a singular noun (*'a beautiful people').
- Using it to describe literally attractive individuals without the social-elite connotation.
- Confusing it with 'good-looking people'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, that is a common misunderstanding. The idiom primarily refers to a social elite. Physical attractiveness is often implied but is not the sole or necessary criterion; wealth, fame, and style are equally important.
Rarely. The idiom is a fixed plural phrase, 'the beautiful people'. Using 'a beautiful person' reverts to the literal meaning of an attractive individual, losing the socio-cultural connotation.
It is context-dependent. In fashion/celebrity journalism, it can be neutral or admiring. In general use, it often carries a tone of irony, cynicism, or criticism towards perceived superficiality and exclusivity.
It gained widespread popularity in the 1960s, often associated with the fashion and celebrity culture of London and New York. It was used to describe the youthful, trendy, and affluent social set of that era.
A fashionable, glamorous, and wealthy social elite.
Beautiful people is usually informal; occasionally journalistic or ironic in tone. in register.
Beautiful people: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbjuːtɪf(ə)l ˈpiːp(ə)l/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbjuːt̬ɪf(ə)l ˈpiːp(ə)l/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A-list (adjacent in meaning)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a film premiere's red carpet: the photographers, the glamour, the exclusive guest list. Those are the 'beautiful people' – it's about the scene, not just individual looks.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL STATUS IS PHYSICAL BEAUTY / WEALTH IS ATTRACTIVENESS.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'beautiful people' idiomatically?